Newswire: Mills Agrees, Branch Update & More

Patriots Insider Staff

07/16/2006

News from around the web includes: New England Patriots agree to terms with fullback/tight end Garrett Mills; New England tight end Ben Watson will miss football camp; Receiver Deion Branch would have been better of signing a 4-year rookie contract and Oakland Raider executive is 'just doing her job'.

-- Patriots' wide receiver Deion Branch has been looking for a contract upgrade during the off-season so it wouldn't become a distraction at the team's summer training camp. Unfortunately for Branch, negotiations have not progressed to his liking, and the team's No. 1 receiver opted to stay away from mandatory minicamp in June. The Boston Globe reports that Branch would have been better off signing a four-year deal for less up-front money so he could cash in this year like fellow receiver Antwaan Randel-El.

-- New England Patriot veteran tight end Ben Watson was scheduled to conduct a two-day football camp in conjunction with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes but the camp was put off until next summer due to low registration. Watson tells The Rock Hill Herald "I got the news we weren't having the camp on Tuesday, and I was disappointed, I had at least two players coming with me and maybe a couple more.''

-- Oakland Raider executive Amy Trask has been with the organization for 19 years and her favorite day is still game day. The LA Times reports that owner Al Davis embraces all colors, races, creeds and genders. Trask shares the Raiders 'in your face' approach. During the now famous 'Tuck Rule' incident, Trask was in the press box and uttered the now famous line, "You better call 911, because I'm going to have a heart attack if you overturn this call."

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